MotoGP

IANNONE AND RINS HOPING TO CHANGE THEIR FATE IN AUSTIN

Team Suzuki Press Office – April 20.

Team SUZUKI ECSTAR has crossed the ocean again to go to the United States for the 3rd round of the Championship, after the GP of Argentina two weeks ago. Riders Andrea Iannone and Alex Rins are eager to race at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas to make up for the troubles encountered in Termas de Rio Hondo.

The Texan circuit is a very demanding one for tyres and bikes performances, having the longest straight of the Championship (1.2 km) and a very rough surface. The layout however, is one of the most admired by the riders, especially by Rins who likes the fluid flow between the corners. Rins will also take advantage of Friday’s session to test his ankle´s recovery, after the injury that forced him to withdraw in the last GP after a crash. Andrea Iannone is awaiting the Americas GP to try to score his first points in the Championship. His performances so far have been very consistent, although it has been very costly in the races. Both riders are confident that with strong teamwork the improved performances of their GSX-RRs will provide them with a positive result this weekend.

The Circuit Of The Americas is the first purpose-built Grand Prix facility in the U.S.A. Near Austin, Texas, the cicuit provides a 5.513km track-length and a capacity for 120,000 fans. Construction of the impressive 1000-acre facility was completed in late 2012, with MotoGP lining up at the track for the first time in 2013. One of its more distinctive features is a nearly 41m-elevation change with an impressive incline at the end of the home-straight, followed by a sharp left. The circuit is one of the most varied on the GP calendar, with a mix of fast straights and tight hairpin turns, with most sections mirroring at least some part of another famous track around the world. It was designed by well-known German architect and circuit designer Hermann Tilke. The driving direction is counter-clockwise and has a total of 20 corners with 9 right turns and 11 left turns. Sunday’s race will be run over 21 laps for a total distance of 115,8 km (72 miles).

Andrea Iannone
“The start of the season has not been so positive for me in terms of just results, as I couldn’t get any championship points yet, but our performances have improved consistently in the last months and my feeling is that we are doing optimal work. The circuit of Austin may not be one of the best for our bike’s characteristics, but we have to work hard to be capable to adapt to any kind of circuit. This is a challenge that invigorates me, and I feel I have a good support from the Team. I’d really like to have a favourable weekend here in Austin. The atmosphere with the fans is amazing and I think we deserve better results than those we’ve reaped so far because we are doing a very good job.”

Alex Rins
“I have some very good memories of the Circuit of The Americas and the Austin GP. I enjoyed this track in the past in both of the categories I’ve raced so far, Moto3 and Moto2. The track is very wide, with the corners well connected to each other that make riding very fun. The tarmac usually has a good grip, and this is a good thing as it gives you high performance, but also tricky for tyre consumption. But, I hope this will help us to take full advantage of the potential of my GSX-RR. Austin becomes a very fun city for the race weekend: so many people come to see the race and the whole city is like a big party venue for the whole weekend. It’s a really enjoyable weekend.”